Picture perfect weather was the backdrop for Thursday morning’s grand opening ceremony heralding the completion of improvements for Guillermo Ochoa Park in the Eastgate area of Ceres.
The park looks vastly different than it did three years ago when the city held a dedication ceremony after renaming the park from Eastgate Park. Since then the city made completion of the park a priority and allocated $2.3 million to install an irrigation system, new turf, picnic tables and two small picnic shelters, a Pickle ball court, volleyball sand pit, half court for basketball, a children’s play area, park benches and other amenities.
The council had to commit a financial juggling act by using $2.1 million in federal ARPA funds – after reassigning the $650,000 initially designated to start Lions Park in north Ceres – coupled with $172,000 in neighborhood park development fees.
City Manager Doug Dunford said the completion was “a long time coming” and that the result is a beautiful park which “the neighborhood truly deserves.”
Mayor Javier Lopez said naming the park after Ochoa was “right,” and that he left “an incredible mark on our community.”
“Together we have invested $2.3 million into this space, making it a true gem for the Eastgate area,” said the mayor. He said the park “now stands as a testament to Guillermo’s dedication and commitment to his community.”
Besides serving as an appointed and later elected member of the Ceres City Council from 2005 to 2011, Lopez noted Ochoa was “a leader, local business owner and an active member of the Latino Community Roundtable and Hispanic Leadership Council. His love for Ceres was undeniable and his legacy lives on.”
Ochoa’s council service was terminated by the voters in November 2011 when he was defeated for re-election by Mike Kline in a 32-vote margin.
The council held off on picking a name until a park naming contest in 2021.
Those who attended the ceremony included his widow Martha and two children, Christian Ochoa and daughter Kimberly Ochoa.
“Last night was probably the coolest thing for me in my five years since I’ve been in leadership,” said Vice Mayor Bret Silveira, who’s District 3 encompasses Eastgate, “and when I drove by here last night at 9 o’clock and it was dark and these lights were on and four people were playing Pickle ball. That’s what this is all about. The community, a park that’s right here in your community. I know some of you people have waited over 20 years for this.”
The city had planned the park as Eastgate Park for years but trouble coming up with the funds. In an election year move and after the Eastgate sign had been manufactured, then Councilman Channce Condit pushed for the park to be renamed after Ochoa, who passed away in 2015 at the age of 54. He lived in Ceres from 1972 to 1982 and then moved back in 1998 and had lived in Ceres until his death. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Economics from St. Mary’s College.
His career included serving as a human resources manager for several large companies including Campbell Soup, Chef America, Diamond Walnut Growers, Yellow Roadway Corporation and ConAgra Foods. He later was self-employed as co-owner/operator of Garcia’s Market in Empire.
Daughter Kimberly said her dad was “an incredible father, a great husband, a true trailblazer in our community.” She said that the community holding a lot of love and respect for him “means a lot to us.”
Justin Farkas, who showed up as a field representative of state Assemblyman Juan Alanis, remarked that “the sand volleyball court – that’s something that I don’t think I’ve ever seen in my lifetime living here in the Central Valley.” He also mentioned how the city included Pickle ball, which is gaining popularity.
